The Missing Years
by OrangeStrands
Summary: Before he was a man hell-bent on ridding himself and the world of his curse, he was a boy unsure of everything but desperate for revenge. And, here, we will see the transition from one to the other. Takes place between T2 and T3.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Jin! Son, I've got some news for you!"

After arriving home to the Mishima Estate, Heihachi Mishima wasted no time with relaxation or refreshments (though he made sure to give Kuma an affectionate rub). Without even shrugging off his jacket, he barged into the dojo where he assumed his grandson was. Of course, he had assumed correctly, a fact in which he took immense pride.

Jin did not reply as he was engrossed in his exercises, which irked the old man to no end. Even if he was doing what he'd been ordered to, Heihachi still expected his grandson to be like everyone else, in that they immediately recognise and revere him when he entered the room.

In a bout of irascibility, Heihachi picked up a towel from the seat near the doors and threw it towards him swiftly, and the boy caught it without opening his eyes or breaking form. Simultaneously impressed and ticked off, Heihachi barked "Alright, alright that's enough boy! And reply when your elders speak to you!"

"Forgive me," Jin said, fluidly bringing his actions to a halt and exhaling before wiping his face with the towel.

"Well, as long as you don't make a habit of it. Anyway, you'll have to stop practice for today," the old man said, earning a questioning glance from Jin. "You need to be well-rested for tomorrow. Then again, you already wake up pretty early so I wonder if it'll make a difference…"

"Can I ask why?" the youth asked while absentmindedly rubbing his head, a few wayward locks sneaking out from under the white cloth. Heihachi cut short his ramblings, remembering why he came here and responded "Why? I'm sending you to school, that's why!"

Jin was struck dumb by this revelation, causing the towel to slip from his head and hang precariously from his bare shoulders. The sight caused Heihachi to exclaim "Don't be so surprised, boy! I told you I'd be expecting certain protocol when I let you live with me!"

"Yes, I remember but-" he began, grasping the sodden towel when it started to slide down his back. However, Heihachi wasn't interested in whatever excuses he had.

"But, nothing! Boy, everyone becomes someone with a quality education! Surely you can't be expecting to be staying here your whole life, are you?"

"Of course not, but-"

"What did I say about 'but'? Jin, you need to start thinking about a future besides martial arts, and you need to attend school too!"

"But-" Jin caught himself just in time, so Heihachi's stern glare lasted only a second before he continued "You don't need to worry about anything. I've already arranged for your uniform and transportation, all the technical things. No, the only thing you need to worry about is actually attending! And learning something while you're there!"

"… Alright," his grandson replied, swallowing all his queries.

"Good! Seems we're remembering all I've done for you, giving you a home and a chance at revenge! Really, this is the least you can do for me!"

"I apologise," Jin said, kneeling in front of Heihachi. Enjoying the sight for a brief moment, Heihachi said "Alright, that's enough! You'd best get to bed now. I think you've earned yourself a few extra hours of sleep."

"Yes," the raven-haired boy replied, not moving an inch as Heihachi departed from the dojo. At that moment, one of the Mishima employees rushed up to the aged man, exclaiming "Sir! You're home!"

"Astute observation," he replied, making to leave before he remembered something. "Oh right, make sure you prepare the young boy's uniform for tomorrow and arrange for one of the chauffeurs to be available to drive him to Mishima Polytechnic. And don't forget your regular duties in the process!"

The employee, all too used to their Master's abrupt and unexpected commands, immediately departed to do as such while Heihachi left for his own room.

 _Well, that's one problem out of the way_ , he thought to himself. While sending Jin to Mishima Polytechnic would be beneficial for his future, it would also be the perfect thing to keep him away from the estate. The boy must not come across his plans regarding the God Of Fighting.

* * *

Jin, for the first time since he arrived at the Mishima Estate, was wasting his time lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. He found himself constantly letting out short exhales of frustration and he did not know what to do about it.

He felt that he should have been practising instead. He should be working towards attaining power and getting his revenge instead of waiting for sleep or sunrise, whichever came first. He vowed to himself that he wouldn't rest until the thing that took his mother from him perished by his hand, yet here he was.

After living with him for a few months, Jin had learned that Heihachi could be a bit eccentric but was otherwise deserving of the respect he received. Still, Jin didn't expect that the old man would really send him to school, especially when Heihachi was the one who was helping him in his quest.

Of course, he used to attend school when… his mother was still with him, but now school would only be a derailment. He thought about how his grandfather chastised him for not thinking of the future, but as far as he was concerned, a future without his mother wasn't a future worth investing in.

Nothing else mattered to him anymore apart from revenge.

For a brief moment, he entertained the possibility of sneaking out to the dojo and resuming his practices. Though the thought was appealing, Heihachi's words from before put an end to his musings immediately.

He wasn't wrong. He had been very generous to him, more than what would be reasonable for someone in his position. Jin was eternally in his debt.

As such, the least he could do was suck up his pride and attend school.

He turned on his side, now facing the window. The moon was situated in the perfect position and could be seen fully through the window. It was unusually bright and ended up stirring nostalgic memories of nights spent in the open alongside his mother.

He sighed.

Without realising it, he found himself vacating his warm bed and sitting down on the cold, wooden floor. All the while, his eyes never left the moon.

* * *

With all the grace of a dying bird, a schoolgirl dramatically dived through the rapidly closing gates of Mishima Polytechnic. Panting, she doubled over as she tried to regulate her breathing while the teacher at the gate looked at her disapprovingly.

"Late again, Hirano- _kun_?" he asked, tapping a pencil against the clipboard in his hand. She made to reply but the response was incomprehensible due to her ragged breathing. She then held up her hand, displaying the digital watch wrapped around her wrist.

"Eight twenty-five," he read, returning his gaze to his clipboard. "Well, then I suppose you're technically on time."

She let out a grand sigh of relief.

"But you should aim for eight fifteen at least. We have rules Hirano- _kun_ ," he chastised her as she ran her fingers through her wayward auburn hair in an attempt to calm it.

"I'm sorry, Ito- _sensei_ ," she choked out, dipping her head in a disoriented bow. "The bus was late-"

The sound of a car approaching the school drowned out her words and both teacher and student looked at the gates. A sleek, black car stopped in front of the gates, from which a middle-aged woman exited. She was closely followed by a raven-haired boy in Mishima Polytechnic uniform.

"Ah," Ito let out, making to open the gates and seemingly forgetting about her tardiness. She supposed that she should've run then but her fatigue and curiosity kept her feet planted, staring at the unfamiliar boy. As the adults conversed, the boy stood next to the car, his bag lying on the car seat. He looked the street up and down with an irritated look.

The adults bade each other farewell with a bow and the woman looked over her shoulder at the boy, who walked up to them with his bag in tow. When he gave her a nod and Ito a bow, she smiled and returned to the car.

Looking at him, it was obvious that he was a new student. But it was a bit odd that the school was accepting people halfway through the school year, considering how selective the school was about its students.

Then again, if someone was getting the opportunity to get into _this_ school, they'd probably drop everything and jump in.

The gates began to rattle shrilly, making her jump and bringing her back to the present.

"Don't you worry about anything," her teacher assured the young boy, stepping aside to let him through. "I'll have someone show you the ropes."

The boy walked silently, giving no indication that he was listening. He stopped a few feet from the gate and stared up at the main building, his expression neutral.

"Hirano- _kun_!" she heard Ito bark, and she straightened her posture. "Go and show our new student the ropes, and I won't mark you late this time!"

"Yes sir!" she exclaimed, all while the boy had already passed by her. Recovering quickly, she turned on her heel and called out to him, "Hey, wait!"

Surprisingly enough, he did wait, allowing her to catch up despite her low energy. Stopping once she reached his side, she asked him "Do you… by any chance, know your class?"

Without delay, he shook his head and she held back the groan building up in her throat. Though she allowed herself to sigh "Okay…" before lifting her head and putting on a light smile.

"Well, I've got time."

"I can look for it myself," he said, his voice deep and clear. "No need for you to trouble yourself."

Though the words "So you _can_ speak!" were on her tongue, she immediately swallowed them and instead shook her head.

"It's no trouble at all! Besides, I don't want to be marked late. I have enough late slips to fill my bag!"

She let out a chuckle and she thought she saw his lips twitch into a brief smile, but she wasn't entirely sure. "Please, I insist!"

He glanced at the building behind him, his dark bangs swishing. Looking at him now, she thought he had pretty nice features despite his sullenness. Definitely one of the better-looking boys in the school. As she was pondering the reactions he was sure to elicit from her boy-crazy friends, he spoke up.

"I appreciate the help."

"Alright then!" she beamed, walking to the main building. He walked a few steps behind her but kept a good pace. "I'm Miharu Hirano, by the way."

* * *

The day had begun as per usual. Come in and have a nice and hilarious chat with friendly acquaintances, be the first to sit, rise with the rest of the class when the teacher entered and then prepare for whatever classes were to follow.

But it seemed that today would provide some variation. Instead of proceeding with roll call, there was an abrupt but quick knock on the classroom door. Seeing as the days were usually uneventful, this grabbed everyone's attention.

"Come in," called out the teacher, Chigusa. The door opened and a boy with dark hair and a serious face walked in. He wore the MP uniform, but he wasn't at all familiar. Hirano also stood by the open doorway uncertainly.

"Ah," Chigusa said, a small smile present on her face as she turned her head to face the class. "Students, I meant to inform you of the news, but it seems the news beat me to it."

A few students let their surprise show and Hirano sighed in relief. Chigusa looked at the new boy expectantly, but he remained quiet for a bit. He took in the classroom, his countenance disinterested before he finally spoke.

"I'm Jin Kazama."

And he just left it at that. There was no room for silence of any kind after that because the teacher was quick to pick up after him.

"We're very pleased to have you with us, Kazama- _kun_. And I expect you all to treat him well. Kazama- _kun_ , you can sit anywhere…"

The only empty seat available was one in the very back with the wall. Kazama wasted no time as he walked to the back through the desks. Heads turned and whispers were exchanged with every step he took.

"Hey, Kamiya," whispered Hamano. "Look at the way the girls are swooning over this guy!"

Shin Kamiya looked from the new kid to the desk beside his own. He offered Hamano an amused smile as he jibed "Can't stand him already?"

"It's because he acts so chill, I tell you," Hamano scoffed, eyeing their giggling female classmates with disdain. "Girls always go crazy over the ones that don't give a fuck."

Shin shrugged his shoulders, staring at Kazama. Having reached his seat, he dropped his bag near the legs of the desk and sat on his chair. Thinking about it, Shin didn't think he seemed chill. If anything, he seemed pissed off.

"Ugh, even Miyoshi- _chan_ is giving him _the eye_ …"

"She gives everyone _the eye_ ," Shin countered, returning his attention to his neighbour. "Ever since the year began. That is, except for you."

"Asshole."

Shin chuckled, but another thought soon entered his head.

"Hey, Hamano- _kun_. Don't you think it's a bit late to be transferring?"

Hamano contemplated on this, leaning back into his seat. "Well, this _is_ Mishima Polytechnic. If I managed to make it in, I'd drop everything to attend."

"Right…" Shin said, absentmindedly brushing back chestnut locks.

"Makes you wonder what's so special about him…"

Shin hummed in agreement, looking around the class.

Chigusa was thanking Hirano for guiding the new student and his classmates were still buzzing over Kazama. The man of the hour was essentially a statue, not moving a muscle or making a sound. He had settled for slouching on his desk, his crossed arms cushioning his chin.

Hamano raised a valid point. He must have _really_ impressed the headmaster…

The teacher soon tapped the desk to get everyone's attention back and she continued with roll call. Hirano waved at Kazama, who acknowledging her by tilting his head up slightly, before closing the door. No doubt, she was heading over to her own class.

Though he was still curious about the new kid, Shin chose to concentrate on the giant statue of the headmaster, Heihachi Mishima, which was clearly visible from his seat beside the window. He could hear his classmates murmuring among themselves and Kazama's name kept popping up.

As the day would go on, he would become accustomed to the sound of Kazama's name as said by a million voices.

* * *

"I see some saps!"

"Positions everyone!"

Everyone moved to the walls of the alley, some deciding to sit on discarded items to further give the impression of nonchalance.

"Yo, Hwoarang! Get over here!"

One of the boys turned his head at that and smirked. The boy who had called out to him, Togoshi, took up a fighting stance. Hwoarang stood a few paces away from him, standing casually. Everyone waited for the cue of Kobe, who was keeping watch at the end of the alleyway.

"Let's see if you can go further this time," Hwoarang jibed.

"I'll get someone to mark it down," Togoshi retorted, hopping in place.

"Now!" Kobe hissed, jogging back to the group. Without delay, Togoshi kicked Hwoarang in the stomach and sent him flying out of the alley. Hwoarang purposely landed in a heap in front of a couple of passer-by's. He was sure to make a big deal about the blow, groaning and struggling to get up, while also evaluating their potential suckers.

They were two young men who were dressed in workout clothes and seemed pretty surprised by his sudden appearance.

"I win, again!" Togoshi called out over the jeering of the boys. "Had enough yet?!"

Hwoarang growled loudly, adding a stumble to his recovery. "I'm not through with you yet!"

He charged at Togoshi, throwing a slow, amateur punch at him that he dodged easily. The boys laughed at him and the two chumps were intrigued by the event as well. Togoshi swept at Hwoarang's legs and he took the fall.

"Unbelievable!" Togoshi exclaimed, shaking his head. He then tilted his head up and said to the two observers "Can you believe this guy? He thinks he's the best, even though he sucks, and won't take no for an answer!"

"I am the best fighter here!" Hwoarang snarled at him, wobbling theatrically as he got up.

"Please… You couldn't even handle those two over there!" Togoshi retorted, pointing at the men. Hwoarang turned to look at them.

"I can, and I will!" he proclaimed. The alleyway erupted with laughter and jeers.

"Sure… I'm up for seeing your ass get kicked," Togoshi said. He waved at the two men. "Hey, you two! Do us all a favour and show him how much of a jackass he is, would you?"

They both looked a bit wary, but Hwoarang knew that they were still caught.

"Oh, is that how it is?" he said, simulated ire bubbling underneath his breath. He then brandished a finger at the two. "How about this?! I bet 5000 yen that I can beat you both!"

Hwoarang resisted the urge to smirk as his fellows began to whoop in amazement and the two men looked intrigued. They discussed something briefly with each other, during which Hwoarang impatiently yelled at them.

"What's the matter?! Afraid of this?!" he exclaimed, gesturing at himself before throwing his arms out. "Pussies, the both of you!"

That seemed to break the dam.

The both of them entered the alley, one of them giving his bag to the other.

"I'll take you up on that, you little shit," he said, cracking his knuckles. Hwoarang sneered.

"Alright then, cash upfront where we can see it!" Togoshi ordered over the din of his group's raucousness. Hwoarang was quick to throw his notes on the floor from his pockets, while his opponents took their time.

"For the sake of sportsmanship, we'll let you pick one of us to fight," said the first after the last of the money was on the ground.

"Please, I bet the two of you together wouldn't even make me sweat," the Korean retorted, hands on his hips. The two of them exchanged a look before the second man dropped both of their bags.

"So much for keeping it fair," the second man said, not at all guilty as he and his partner faced Hwoarang off. The alley was filled with cheers, jeers, and remarks.

"Bring it," Hwoarang said, beckoning them forward. The two of them swooped toward him, throwing their punches at the same moment Hwoarang took up a proper stance. He easily evaded the attacks thrown at him, inspiring shock from his opponents and laughter from his fellows.

"You done fucked up, guys," mocked Togoshi as Hwoarang went in for the kill.

* * *

 _ **Welcome to The Missing Years, the story with the most original title ever XD**_

 _ **I decided to write this because I wanted to experiment with the period between T2 and T3, which seems to be full of material for me to work with.**_

 _ **This story will likely be referenced by my other fics whenever I feel it's necessary since this will essentially act as my headcanon for Jin's high-school years. For any reader who is reading my other works, I can confirm without a doubt that this story is linked to 'The Raven, The Wolf & The Ocelot', potentially 'Sere', and various other in-progress works of mine. That said, it can be read as a stand alone story too.  
**_

 _ **Here's something to get out of the way.**_

 _ **Shin Kamiya is a character in this fanfic, but he's not the same one from Blood Vengeance. Though I felt his character was ultimately useless and pointless, I like the idea of Jin having a friend in high school and didn't want to create an OC. Besides, Shin could have been completely different before all of that bullshit in the movie, just like Jin, so this could be plausible.**_

 _ **Think of this as less OoC and more creative license XD**_

 _ **Do let me know if there are any mistakes or concerns and I hope that you stick around for this story ^^**_

 _ **May Peace Be Upon You.**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"… _Kazama-_ kun…"

"… _Kazama-_ kun…"

"… _Kazama_ …"

"… _Kazama-_ san…"

Never before did he feel so annoyed at the sound of his last name as he did today. Sure, he never really liked it that much to begin with but only **now** did he come to dislike the enunciation itself. It just never seemed to end, his name being spoken by a multitude of voices.

"… _Kazama-_ kun…"

"… _Kazama_ …"

"… _Kazama-_ san…"

"… _Kazama_ …"

Not interested in the droning of the teacher, not wanting to focus on the whispered rambling of his classmates, Jin tried instead to practice a technique his mother had taught him for when he felt overwhelmed or frustrated.

He took deep, slow breaths through his nose and closed his eyes, mentally tuning out the surrounding din. He thought about the fields of Yakushima in spring with long blades of grass swishing in the gentle breeze, the vibrantly green trees and the sound of the river rushing by at top speed. He imagined the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves and the feel of the grass under his bare feet. Already, he felt himself at ease.

He sat down close to the river bank, staring at the clear running water while absentmindedly sinking his fingers into the cool, wet soil. A small bush was situated on the other side of the river bank, sporting a cluster of bright pink flowers. They were called rhododendrons, he remembered. They were quite common around their house and in the forest as well. His mother liked them quite a lot but she told him that she preferred the chrysanthemums back on the mainland. He himself didn't really have much of an opinion on which flower he liked, seeing as he thought they all were beautiful in their own way.

When he returned his vision to the river, he was surprised to find that the water was no longer clear. Instead, it had a pinkish hue to it, much like the spring sky during sunrise. He had read about this phenomenon in a book, about how certain algae could increase the salinity of the water and make it turn pink, but he had yet to see it with his own eyes. He could have sworn that it was not the case with running water, though…

The colour of the river only became more saturated the more he stared at it, turning now into a dark crimson. Taken aback, he turned to the direction the river was coming from and fell back into the ground from the sight that awaited him.

A human, female body was sprawled on the earth beside the running water, its head nowhere to be seen. Blood flowed freely from its jagged neck into the river water, contrasting heavily with its pale as snow complexion.

The next thing Jin knew, he was back in the classroom. His breathing was controlled but his heart was beating madly against his chest as if trying to physically escape from his own body. As subtly as he could, he rubbed his arms and closed his eyes to try and calm himself down, but the darkness only brought the image back vividly. The slender arms lying limply, the glistening flesh of the open wound, the white dress that his mother used to wear on warm days-

His eyes shot open as his heart continued its rampage and his breathing became more laboured. He felt an overwhelming urge to run out of the classroom and away from the voices that just contributed to his unease. To find a secluded spot where he could sort out these feelings.

He needed to **calm down**.

He focused instead on the plywood surface of his desk, gripping his forearms forcefully. The pain was a good distraction.

It wasn't real. That never happened. It was just a bad thought.

That **wasn't** his mother.

He wasn't sure how long it took but, eventually, his heartbeat began to slow and his thoughts became grounded. He loosened the hold he had on his forearms but didn't let go of them either. He still felt horrified down to the bone, but he could breathe easy.

It was fine. He was **fine**. Nothing happened.

He exhaled heavily through his nose, the sound lost amongst the chatter.

This had never happened before. His nightmares, his fears, they never leaked into his meditation. It was supposed to be his safe haven but it had been desecrated against his will. Did this mean that he had nowhere to go to now? He had nowhere else where he was at peace…

He released one of his arms and ran the free hand through his hair. He needed a distraction. He looked up from his desk to the front of the class where the teacher was explaining some math equation on the board. Looking around the class, he noted how some of his classmates were paying close attention to the class while some were involved in other things, whether it be their phones or their friends. He looked toward the window and met eyes with a boy in the process. Said boy quickly looked away, so Jin did not think much of it.

But it was deterrent enough for him to return his gaze to the board.

Once he made the effort to pay attention to the class, time seemed to move faster. Eventually, the classes were over and he was free… at least for about half an hour.

 _Anywhere but here_ , he thought to himself as he got up from his seat for the first time that day. The rest of his classmates had gotten out their lunches, either eating in silence or conversing with others. Yet still, he felt multiple eyes on him as he left the classroom.

After closing the door, he began walking with no end in mind. He supposed he would just spend this time looking for places that were quiet. He preferred silence over the multitude of noises that was ever-present in his classroom.

He ended up outside the main building at the entrance gate of the school. The area was exactly the same as when he had first seen it in the morning. A long, marble pathway to the main building with an equal amount of cherry blossom trees standing on either side of it, their branches currently bare seeing as it was out of season for them.

Deciding to walk around here and there, he eventually found a secluded corner behind the building. Though, perhaps 'garden' was a better word to describe it. A series of hedges crisscrossing in some unknown patterns, a few shrubs actually shaped to resemble the Mishima Clan symbol impeccably, with assorted flowers planted near the roots of said bushes. The flora was so densely packed together that practically anyone could stay hidden within them if they were quiet enough.

He traversed through the gaps in the hedges while taking exceptional care to not step on any of the flowers or smaller plants. The perfumes of the various blossoms and the fresh leaves had a wonderful effect on his mind, helping him feel at ease. Walking slowly, Jin eventually came across a thin vertical fissure within one of the hedges and, since he was curious about where it would lead, he decided to squeeze through it.

"Uh, Miharu- _chan_ , why exactly are we here?"

At the sound of the unfamiliar male voice, Jin froze in his place mid-step.

" _Eh_? Didn't you say you wanted to get away for a while?"

The next voice that spoke was instantly recognised by Jin as Hirano, the girl from earlier. But that revelation did nothing to subdue the anxiousness that welled up within him.

"Well, yeah, but I don't get why you'd wanna come _here_."

He heard Hirano huff in a disgruntled way.

"I like the flowers. And the air is so fragrant here…"

She paused in her speech right then and Jin began to wonder if they were still close. But Hirano spoke again, finishing her sentence.

"…and it's _pretty_ secluded too."

Her companion began to chuckle and that was when Jin spun on his heel and hightailed it out of there. All caution was thrown to the wind as he bounded over plants and shuffled through hedges. He thought he heard them let out surprised gasps, but he refused to think upon it further.

 _Yet another safe space defiled_ , he thought to himself as he reached his classroom door, slightly out of breath from his sprint. He just couldn't believe his luck. Red in the face, he trudged back to his seat, unable to block out the chatter of his classmates. Once he had sat down in his seat, his hands automatically flew to his head as he massaged into his scalp as best as he could.

 _Two hours_ , his thoughts rung out over the noise. _Two hours until you're free. You can continue your training when you get back._

They passed by agonisingly slow but, eventually, they did pass. The wait was made easier by thinking about martial arts, visualising the Mishima Dojo and recalling the feeling of his muscles being pushed to their limit, his blood pumping in his ears and his lungs burning. It made him feel that he was making progress, that he wasn't just stagnant.

That he was **alive**.

Which was far from how he felt here.

It was around this time that the students worked together to clean up the school but, quite frankly, Jin was sick of the place and didn't want to stick around any longer.

He was now waiting for his driver to pick him up at the front gate of the school. He was casually leaning against the large stone wall, one hand within the pocket of his slacks while the other held onto the strap of his school bag, which was slung behind his shoulder. It was late enough in the day that the sun was shining at an angle in the sky, but its light did not have an orange hue just yet.

Jin had taken to quietly observing the passing of cars and people to keep from boredom or from dwelling on the day that had passed. Most of the other students were either in the school helping in the clean-up or had gone somewhere else ahead of time. Normally, he would enjoy the peace that came with being left alone with his thoughts and surroundings but, after what had happened in class, he was more in desperate need of a distraction.

It was then that two men came into his field of vision, dressed in work out clothes. He would have not thought much of them, had he not noticed how visibly beaten up they looked. One of them sported a black eye and was holding his arm at a stiff angle while the other was walking with a limp and had a busted lip. On top of that, they looked very irritated.

Jin considered walking up to them and asking what happened to them but was forced to dismiss that thought when a familiar black car smoothly pulled up in front of him. The first one to come out was Miss Sano, her black hair done up in her usual tight bun, followed soon by a man in a black suit and sunglasses, who was most likely part of security.

"Good to see you, Kazama- _kun_ ," she said with a smile that smoothened the lines on her face.

"Sano- _san_ ," he replied, nodding his head briefly. She tilted her head in the direction of the car and Jin wordlessly took a few steps toward it. The chauffeur was quick in opening the door for him and Jin was slow in taking off his bag from his shoulder.

"Also, Kazama- _kun_ , your grandfather wanted me to tell you that training today is cancelled," Miss Sano informed him, making him pause in his actions. "He will be busy dealing with some delegates from Monaco, so he won't be able to make it."

His mind felt heavier than before, the disappointment trickling from his heart down to his stomach. It was all he had been looking forward to for the past two hours.

"Come now, let's get you home. You must have something to eat too and we can talk about your- Kazama- _kun_?"

Jin was already a few strides away from the car by that point, his bag left behind in the back seat. He heard Miss Sano and a male voice call after him, but he paid them no heed and continued to walk his way. He didn't know where he was going or what he was looking for but, at that point, anywhere was preferable over his school and the Mishima Estate.

It didn't take long for him to hear some rapidly approaching footsteps. They slowed to match his pace when he heard the male voice from before saying "Kazama- _san_ , you have to come home."

He spared a glance at the one who was now walking behind him, who turned out to be the man in the black suit. He was making no effort to stop Jin and had taken to just walking alongside him. He wondered if the man could even stop Jin if he tried.

"I'm not needed at the estate," Jin murmured, taking in the sights of the tiny shops and the wandering people.

"But what business could you have in the town?" the man countered, having taken his place beside Jin now. Jin didn't answer and just kept walking aimlessly, occasionally stopping at intersections but otherwise keeping the same pace. Apart from the occasionally impatient sigh or grunt, the man had remained silent while following him.

This town was different from the one he used to frequent back home. There were more people here, as well as more infrastructure. It was fascinating to observe the strangers go on about their lives. It was noisy here as well with the multiple voices intermingling with the sounds of vehicles moving and various objects clacking, slamming, tinkling and knocking. Yet, it somehow sounded more pleasant on his ears than the chattering of his classmates.

He couldn't fathom the logic behind that.

Eventually, his legs came to a halt in front of an empty alley, his shadow stretching far on the ground in the orange light.

He stood there for a couple minutes, pondering on where to go before the man who'd been with him this whole time spoke up again "Kazama- _san_ , it's getting late. We should head home now, or Mishima- _san_ won't be happy."

He doubted that. Heihachi had a powerful temper, but it was never directed at Jin. Not to mention Heihachi didn't care too much what Jin did on most days, provided he showed up to training on time.

Of course, he didn't mention any of this to the man, choosing instead to not say anything. Jin heard him let out another sigh and briefly looked at him. He had his phone on his ear with his other hand on his hip, most probably calling the chauffeur.

Perhaps it **was** time to go back.

"You lost _again_ , Hwoarang!"

Jin looked up at the sound of that shout, turning toward the alley. Now that he had bothered to pay attention, he realised there were a group of boys lurking in the dark alley, all of them wearing black jackets. One of them was standing haughtily over the one sprawled on the ground while the rest just watched their exchange.

The one on the floor began to rise slowly and unsteadily, shaking his head and rolling his shoulders. Jin could not see his face but his body language conveyed nothing but amateur defiance.

"It's not over until _I_ say so!" he yelled, his accent different from what Jin was used to. He lunged at his opponent, who casually stepped to the side to avoid him before delivering a kick to his back and leaving a shoe print on his jacket. The others sniggered at the display and Jin wondered if this was something he wanted to witness further.

"Hopeless," said the one who wasn't on the ground. Jin couldn't make out their faces in the dark but he was still able to see the standing boy look up at him.

"Go annoy that guy instead. I'm sure he's more on your level."

Jin felt his jaw clench at his words but otherwise stayed silent and turned his head away from them.

"I'll take on everyone here!" said the oddly accented voice. "I can kick his ass just as easy as I can _any_ of yours! _Oy, you!_ Get over here!"

Jin glanced at the one calling out to him. He was on his feet and had stepped into the fading light. Taking in his appearance properly, it was even more obvious that he wasn't from around here. With his vibrant red hair and his unique features, he contrasted heavily against his environment.

"Hey, what are you, deaf?!" he barked when Jin stayed silent. He pointed at him "You-" before pointing at himself "Me-" before grinding his fist into his other open palm. " _Now_!"

"Kazama- _san_ , the car is on its way," whispered his associate. "Let's not bother with these delinquents."

Jin took half a step back, away from the alley, but then didn't take another. The alleyway was overcome with raucous laughter.

"Well, _now_ I've seen everythin'!" said a voice he hadn't heard before. "To think there's somethin' on this planet scared of _Hwoarang_! Oh, this is _too_ rich!"

The laughter continued, ricocheting off the dirty alley walls and reverberating around Jin's skull. He'd be lying if he said it didn't annoy him.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one.

" _Oy_!" yelled (if Jin assumed correctly) Hwoarang, his loud voice only adding to Jin's ire. He turned around, to glare at his company, before he proceeded to yell again. "You all laughing like that's new?! There ain't _nothing_ on this planet that isn't scared of me! It's not a joke, it's _facts_!"

"Enough."

Jin walked up to Hwoarang with his hands in his pockets.

"Kazama- _san_ –!" sputtered the man in the suit but Jin calmly spoke over him. There was only one way to shut this juvenile up.

"I'll fight you."

The alleyway was filled with sounds of amazement, some genuine and some sarcastic. Hwoarang sized Jin up, a moment where he said nothing.

"Not scared anymore, huh?"

"I was never scared," Jin retorted. "You've just annoyed me now and I'm looking to shut you up."

" _Oooooooooooh_!" called another unfamiliar voice from the alleyway. Hwoarang scowled at him before his lips curled into a cocky smirk.

"I'd like to see you try, _schoolboy_ ," Hwoarang taunted, his voice quieter than usual. Clearly only meant for Jin's ears.

Jin raised his fists, ready to start right then and there, but was interrupted by a figure appearing on his right and grasping both his and Hwoarang's shoulder.

"Now, now, boys!" said the figure, the boy who had beaten Hwoarang. "You have to place bets first! That's how it works!"

"That is senseless," Jin was quick to point out. "Why do we have to throw our money out for this?"

The boy raised his eyebrows, an incredulous look plastered on his face. " _Oh_! Sounds to _me_ that you don't think you're gonna win."

"Well, _no shit_ , Togoshi!" Hwoarang exclaimed as Jin grimaced at his volume. " _I'm_ gonna win this one, one hundred percent!"

Hwoarang then dug his hands into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a few bills. He brandished them above his head for everyone to see. "I'll bet 10,000 Yen that I can beat this schoolboy."

There were murmurs among the crowd and Jin couldn't make out their reaction to his claim. The boy, who Jin assumed was named Togoshi, turned his face to Jin expectantly.

"Think you can match that, schoolboy? Or you too much of a wuss to pay up?"

Clearly, they were just after money. Picking fights just for money. Didn't really take a genius to figure out. He didn't really know how reliable a trick this was for them, how they picked their victims and, more importantly, how they kept their money. One thing was for certain though.

Jin never really cared about money.

"If it means we can start, I'll pay," he stated, procuring his wallet from the pocket of his slacks. Togoshi's eyes almost shot out of his sockets at the thick wad of notes crammed into the tiny leather wallet. But Hwoarang's eyes were directly on Jin, and vice versa.

"10,000 Yen," Jin said without passion, gruffly handing the bills to Togoshi before Hwoarang did.

"Pleasure doing business with ya," Togoshi quipped, adding a mock bow before shuffling away from them. Jin eased into his stance while Hwoarang turned around to give the other boys a look first.

"I'll make this quick, so you can catch up on your homework later," Hwoarang taunted, earning a few bursts of laughter from his peers.

"You say that, but you still haven't hit me yet," Jin rebutted, unmoving. Hwoarang scowled, immediately rushing in with a yell and his leg swinging toward him. Jin put up his guard and waited for the blow.

Unexpectedly, Hwoarang didn't finish the kick, choosing instead to bring it back and keep it in the air before going for a sweep. Jin was unprepared for this and quickly tried to jump back. Hwoarang's foot managed to hit his leg and stagger him, but Jin was still on his feet. Hwoarang's eyebrows twitched upwards briefly.

Jin, taking advantage of his brief surprise, went for a gut punch. Hwoarang was able to guard it but was forced onto one knee when Jin gave a staggering kick to his leg. Jin went for a right hook but Hwoarang managed to evade it by falling onto his back before jumping back into the fray with a spring kick which hit Jin in the chest and knocked him back.

There was a silence in the alley as the two boys considered each other, unmoving. Jin looked down at his sweater vest to see the imprints of Hwoarang's feet, contrasting clearly against the navy blue. Jin heard Hwoarang bark out a "Ha!" and looked up at him again.

"Ruined your uniform, did I?" Hwoarang gibed, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "Why don't you go cry to Mama about it?"

Jin felt a flash of hot, blinding rage run through his body. It took quite a lot of willpower to stop himself from lunging at Hwoarang, choosing instead to take off his sweater vest.

"You're quite the actor," Jin said, tying the sleeves of his sweater vest around his waist. "I may have to take you slightly serious."

Hwoarang's smile dropped from his face, replaced by the now familiar scowl. "Don't get cocky, schoolboy."

"Listen to your own words, _alley scrap_ ," Jin shot back, the venom in his tone unmistakable. The gang of boys let out incredulous sounds as Hwoarang rushed at Jin in rage.

What followed next was a heated exchange of blows. Hwoarang would rain down a barrage of kicks and Jin would parry and retaliate. Jin would go for hard-hitting moves and Hwoarang would outmanoeuvre him before they could land. It was a constant back and forth with any clear advantage for one of them disappearing almost immediately the next second.

Both fighters were breathing heavily in a few minutes, Hwoarang choosing to discard his jacket soon enough and Jin undoing a few of his shirt buttons. The force of their attacks increased as the fight went, their emotions leaking onto their face in the form of hard glares, framed by wet hair and sweat soaked skin, and bared teeth.

Togoshi was dead silent. All of them were. Their rare silence only exaggerated the sounds of flesh hitting bone and ragged yells and breathing.

The sun was only just peaking over the horizon when exhaustion had claimed them. Jin was kneeling with a fist on the ground while Hwoarang was squatting with an open palm supporting his weight. They were both sweat-drenched, clothes spotted with dirt from each other's kicks and their skin patched with early signs of bruising.

The glares were gone, fatigue overtaking the anger that was initially there. Frantic murmurs began echoing off the walls again, the other boys discussing what had unfolded in front of them. None of their musings was understandable to Jin until Togoshi very loudly exclaimed, " _Who_ the fuck _won_ that?"

Jin was almost certain Hwoarang would claim that he did but Hwoarang was instead staring at the ground as she evened his breathing. His expression was a strange one, eyes downcast and lips open in an empty wail.

Maybe, just **maybe** , he didn't feel like this was a win.

And maybe, just **maybe** , they were of the same mind for once.

Jin stood up very slowly, immediately attracting everyone's attention, and slowly walked over to Togoshi. Togoshi seemed frozen in place as Jin approached him, maybe from shock or fear. Nevertheless, he reacted something fierce when Jin grabbed the hand that held the money by the wrist.

" _Hey_!" Jin heard Hwoarang yell with a yet unheard ferocity.

"Hey, _hey_! Listen I had nothing to do with-!"

Togoshi silenced himself when Jin just plucked half of the notes from his hand. As soon as Jin released Togoshi's wrist, he scrambled away from the uniformed youth as quickly as he could.

"You can keep your money," Jin stated, hoping his intention would come across before he turned around to see four people staring at him.

Hwoarang, looking like he had gotten up in haste to attack Jin but was now frozen in a slumped stance.

The man in the suit from before, jogging into the alley towards Jin.

Miss Sano, her hands covering her mouth and her eyes wide.

And the chauffeur, standing in front of the black car with a shocked expression.

Jin felt the beginnings of embarrassment creeping up his neck and lowered his gaze.

"Kazama- _san_!" said the suited man, his expression exasperated behind his sunglasses. "You must return to the Mishima Estate immediately!"

" _Mishima_?!" someone behind him yelled out. Everyone's eyes were on Jin, staring him down as one, and the desperate feeling to flee was returning.

Without a word, Jin shoved past the suited man and Hwoarang towards the car while he tried to drown out the sounds of all those boys muttering "Mishima" and "Kazama" on repeat. Miss Sano had her arms around Jin's back as soon as he was within her range and Jin had the car door open before the chauffeur could get it open for him.

" _Oy_! Wait!" yelled Hwoarang. "Who the _fuck_ are you?! This isn't over!"

Hwoarang… he was unlike anyone he had ever met in his life. Loud as a truck, boastful and arrogant yet not above appearing weaker for an advantage… and yet all Jin could do was fight him to a draw. Not even a conclusive victory.

Any other time he would have stood his ground, challenged him to a rematch, but he couldn't stand being around all these people anymore. He needed a reprieve from all this.

But still…

"Jin Kazama," he said in a loud and clear voice, without looking at who it was addressed to. Before he could hear anything else, he got into the car and shut the door behind him. The conditioned air instantly cooled his skin and he felt his shoulders sag as he leaned back into his seat and closed his eyes. He heard a few car doors opening and closing, heard the car accelerate into motion before it settled into a low rumble, and heard Miss Sano sigh.

"Kazama- _kun_ ," she whispered in a soft tone. "Are you okay?"

He figured she meant that question in a lot of ways.

"I'm fine," was his generic, insincere reply. He felt her hand squeeze his shoulder in a reassuring way. It should have touched him that she was so concerned for him.

But, as much as it shamed him to admit, all he could think about how she wasn't his mother.

* * *

Heihachi was odd to classify. He wasn't unreasonable, but he also wasn't lenient. He wasn't quick to punish or scold, but he was **definitely** not soft either.

And it was at times like this, where he stood towering over him with his arms crossed and his expression stern, that Jin really dreaded how unpredictable he could be.

And the fact that Jin was sporting a very prominent bandage on his face made him feel even more pathetic.

"Boy, what is the meaning of this?" he said (or rather bellowed). Heihachi had only been home for about five minutes but he had immediately stormed over to Jin's room, where the boy had holed himself up for the past two hours.

"What's the meaning of what… sir?" Jin added at the last second. It wouldn't hurt to try and appeal to his grandfather however he could. Heihachi's stance did not waiver one bit. Jin wished he could just somehow decipher his thoughts through his expression but Heihachi's **default** expression was the 'Mighty angry _Raijin_ ' expression.

"I've been told that you've been picking fights with random passers-by on the street."

Oh right, there was that.

"It was only one," Jin pointed out, briefly meeting Heihachi's fierce gaze before deciding against it. "And _he_ picked a fight with _me_. I was–"

"I don't want to hear it!" Heihachi interjected, raising up one hand to stop the youth from proceeding. "What I _want_ to hear is how the fight went."

Jin fought hard to keep the surprise off his face and out of his voice. "Wait, _really_?"

"Yes, _really_ ," Heihachi repeated, his tone implying that he was rolling his eyes.

"I thought you would be…" Jin started, trying to think of a word that would not set him off. Heihachi didn't bother waiting for him to finish.

"What, you thought I would be teaching you the Mishima style just so you could spar against _me_ for the rest of your life? I may be the best around here but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bother with other people, Jin! I'm glad you're seeking out other opponents!"

Jin wanted to tell him he wasn't seeking out people to fight (well… not **actively** , anyway) but figured it would just drag out this conversation more.

"Tell me who this person was and how they measured up to your skill. And look me in the eye when you tell me this."

Well, he was in a rough spot now. Lying was one million times harder when he had to keep eye contact with his grandfather.

"Well, it was…" Jin started, trailing off when he began to think about what happened.

How would Heihachi react to hearing it was a draw? And how would he react to knowing it was a draw against some random gang member on the street that was just scamming people for money?

Jin had to mentally shake himself free of these thoughts then, reminding himself of why he was here in the first place.

 _To get power._

And he wouldn't get power without knowing where he stood on the scale first or lying about his skill.

That didn't mean he was looking forward to the potential wrath of his grandfather, of course.

"It was some boy on the streets," Jin finally answered. "He definitely wasn't from Japan, and he was a…" he struggled to remember "… um, I think he used… Taekwondo?"

Heihachi's eyebrow perked up at that detail.

"And, uh… it was a… there was no winner…"

Jin mentally braced himself for what was to come. Heihachi was silent for a good amount of time, probably lost in thought. Was that a good sign?

"And why do you think you didn't win?" Heihachi asked him. He spoke with the kind of tone he used when he was teaching Jin something new. And then it hit him.

This had all just been a lesson to him. That explained all the questions, the stern stance, explained why he wasn't angry.

"Uh," Jin let out, thinking hard over it. "I think…"

The thought jumped to the forefront of his mind, flashing prominently behind his eyes. Jin let out a sigh. "I underestimated him. We both underestimated each other."

Heihachi, to Jin's hidden surprise, nodded. "Excellent."

 _Excellent?_

"Good job, Jin!" Heihachi barked out, clapping a hand on Jin's shoulder. "I hope you learned something from this experience. _Never_ underestimate an unknown opponent. And _never_ go into a fight expecting to win when you've only just begun your training. Pride that isn't earned is a hindrance."

Jin could only nod at his grandfather's words. There was truth to his words, but Jin wasn't sure if he was quite ready to learn from his faults yet, especially when a part of him was regretting that whole event.

" _Never_ forget what you've learned today," Heihachi ordered, crossing his arms again and turning around to leave. "Now get some sleep if you have no school work to attend to. We'll be training an extra hour tomorrow to make up for today."

And without another word or any general interest in anything else, he left. Jin finally stood up from the floor where he had been seated, feeling… well, it was hard to sum up in one word, but he supposed the best fit was **low**.

He was relieved he didn't get yelled at or punished or whatever. He was ashamed that he had allowed himself to get dragged up in all that in the first place. His skin throbbed underneath the bandages and he just felt exhausted in both mind and body.

Having already showered, he turned off the lights and just sunk into his bed, facing the ceiling.

The moon was shining through his open window.

 _Welcome back home, Jin! How was your day at school?_

"I hated it."

 _Oh! What happened? Was someone mean to you?_

"I don't want to go back."

 _Sweetheart, you'll feel better once you make some friends. Everyone feels that way at first._

"I don't want friends."

 _Jin…_

"I want to be with you."

He turned on his side, looking at the moon through his blurry eyes. The sight proved more distressing than comforting and he just shut his eyes tightly. He resisted the urge to wipe at them.

He kept waiting for her reply in the silence, in the darkness. The words that she would always tell him, the truth that used to underline all her actions.

But he heard nothing and those words, he realised, were no longer an unspoken truth.

' _I'm always with you.'_

* * *

 ** _Holy crap yay this finally has a second chapter. To think I decided to finish this chapter instead of doing something productive (nervous laughter)._**

 ** _Nothing else to say really except Raijin = Thunder God. There's a heavier definition but it's not relevant to the story so we're keeping it simple LOL._**

 ** _Lemme know if I made any errors of any sort and I'll get to them as soon as I can! ^_^_**

 ** _May Peace Be Upon You._**


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